What started out as a way for Josh Jackson to make his girlfriend, Jenine Pastores, laugh has turned into an internet sensation. Tubby Nugget is a wholesome comic that brings smiles to those who follow his adventures on Instagram. Now the Tubby Nugget, has his own origin story with the book The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Escape From Nuggetville by Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson.
The beginning of the graphic novel introduces Nugget 929 (Tubby Nugget) and the world he lives in. He has parents, friends, and family he loves. He is happy with his colorful world and the life he has. He is preparing for the dunking day where nuggets are dunked in a tank of gold and they become golden. Tubby is worried about becoming a golden and is not sure if he wants to be dunked at all.
The graphic novel is recommended for ages six to nine, but is fun for the entire family. I read the book out loud with my four year old son, and he has asked to read it many times since! He laughed throughout the story at the adventures that Tubby got into, and the language is well written so that it is understandable by all ages.
The comic is wonderfully colorful. Some of the panes have dark backgrounds which allows the golden nuggets to shine through, and Tubby Nugget’s tan color blends nicely with the golden shades.
The font is big enough that most people should be able to read the comic panes easily enough. As someone who needs to wear contacts, this made it easy to read whilst also being clear for kids to read alongside their parents. The comic panes are easily navigable allowing the readers of all ages to follow the action without issues.
The story itself is a quick, fun read at 105 pages. It tells the importance of family, friendship, and being true to oneself, with Tubby showing that all it takes is one person to make a difference, alongside the importance of believing in yourself. My son and I look forward to reading more of Tubby Nugget’s adventures, and it’s one you should check out too.
The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Escape From Nuggetville is out now through all major retail platforms with The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Big Robot Invasion #2 expected to be released on 6 October 2026.
